Automatic gravity connector

ABSTRACT

A two sided electrical connection system that automatically connects two connector sides together is provided. A male side and female side of the connector have bodies shaped such that the male side may be received by the female side automatically by a force of gravity. Guiding structure around the female side of the two sided connector allows the male side to be guided into place without requiring perfect alignment of the two sides of the connector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to electrical connectionstructures. More particularly the present invention relates to a deviceconfigured to automatically achieve electronic connection usingstructures that guide the two sides of the electrical connectiontogether without the need for a user to manually joint the two sides.

Description of Related Art

As technology continues to develop, especially in the electrical andcomputer fields, battery operated systems such as vehicles will becomemore common place. Further, enhanced computerization of such vehiclesoften requires a data transfer between vehicle computer and a basestation. One way of achieving this data transfer is through a directconnection between the two structures.

Typically, existing electrically powered or electrical communicationstructures utilize a manually operated plug that requires a user tophysically plug a first connector side into a second connector side.Examples of such electrical systems may be vehicles, flying drones, andthe like. While this has worked for the time being, a number ofdownsides exist to such a system. Initially, the manual operation isinconvenient. Further, such manual connection can be dirty andpotentially dangerous if the plugs and wiring is damaged.

Therefore, what is needed is a system that can automatically make anelectrical connection between two structures without manual input.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter of this application may involve, in some cases,interrelated products, alternative solutions to a particular problem,and/or a plurality of different uses of a single system or article.

In one aspect, an automatically connectable vehicle and base stationassembly is provided. The assembly includes an automatic two partelectrical connector that can be mated to form an electrical connectionbetween vehicle and base station. The electrical connector has a maleside and a female side. The male side is connected to the vehicle by anelectric cable, and has a guiding structure configured to guide it intoelectronic connection with the female side automatically, by gravity,magnetic force, and/or mechanical action. The female side is connectedto the base station and is configured to receive the male side by theguiding structure of the male side. An electrical connection of the basestation is provided to the female side, thereby providing electroniccommunication between the vehicle and base station. When connected, anelectrical contact of the male side is in contact with an electricalcontact of the female side, thereby providing the electricalcommunication between the vehicle and the base station.

In another aspect, a method of automatically electrically connecting avehicle to a base station is provided. The method may begin with apositioning a vehicle in a proximity to the base station. Next, a maleside of a two part electrical connector of the vehicle is released. Themale side is connected to the vehicle by an electric cable which canextend away from the vehicle via gravity. The male side further has aguiding structure configured to guide it into electronic connection witha female side of the base station automatically. The female side isconnected to the base station and has an electrical connection providedto it. The female side may receive the male side as it descends. Thisreceiving involves the male side being moved, by the guiding structureand a force of gravity, from a position not aligned with the female sideto a position aligned with the female side. Once aligned, the two sidesmay fit together as the male side is lowered to the female side,achieving the connection. Once received by the female side, the twosides will achieve an electronic connection by way of physicallycontacting electrical contacts on the male and female sides, therebyproviding electronic communication between the vehicle and the basestation. When the electronic connection is no longer required, the cablemay be retracted, breaking the connection between the two sides.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 provides a partial cross sectional view of an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 provides an elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 provides an elevation view of another embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 provides a view of an embodiment of a guiding structure of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 provides a view of an embodiment of the present inventionimplemented on a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appendeddrawings is intended as a description of presently preferred embodimentsof the invention and does not represent the only forms in which thepresent invention may be constructed and/or utilized. The descriptionsets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing andoperating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments.

Generally, the present invention concerns a two piece electricalconnector, the pieces of which are automatically connectable. Eachpiece, or side, of the electrical connector has a structure configuredto aid the automatic electrical connection between the two. A connecting(male) end may have a cable connecting it to its base structure.Similarly, a receiving (female) connector end may have electronicsconnected, in for example, a base station. When the male and female endsare mated, they will achieve the intended electrical connection. Bothends have a shape and structure configured to guide them together toallow automated connection even when there is a non-ideal alignment ofthe two sides. The electrical connector of the present invention may beused between any electronically enabled structures to provide electricalcommunication between the two. In many embodiments, the presentinvention will be mounted to a vehicle such as an automobile, remotecontrolled vehicle, drone, and the like. However, it should beunderstood that the electrical connector may be used on any systemwithout limitation.

The term vehicle is used herein to refer to, not only motor vehiclessuch as cars, trucks, go carts, and the like, but also any other devicesmovable under their own power, such as drones, remote control vehicles,wheeled vehicles, propeller powered vehicles, among others. Similarly,devices contemplated herein may be any device having a battery,including vehicles, and also portable electronic devices such as mobilecomputing devices, and any other electrically powered devices. While theelectrical connector is described with reference to a vehicle, it is tobe understood that any device may be charged using the electricalconnector disclosed herein.

The term automatic is used herein to mean an automated action that doesnot require external action by a user.

In typical embodiments, a male side of two piece connector connects amobile structure to a base station having the female side (though theorientation may be reversed). The male side (which is typically on thevehicle) has at least one electrical contact facing outward on aperimeter of its body. The male side is extendable from the vehicle andcan be released towards a base station, guided by gravity or a guidingstructure to automatically mate with the female side of the basestation. In gravity assisted embodiments, the male side is equipped witha weight or is formed having a sufficient mass to allow it to fall in apredictable manner downward into the base station.

An electrical contact or contacts of the male side may protrude slightlyfrom an outer surface of the male side connector, or may be flush withor recessed from the surface. Similarly, an electrical contact orcontacts of the female side may protrude slightly from an inner surfaceof the female side (into which the male side would fit), or may be flushwith or recessed from the surface. These contacts may extend fullyaround the male and female sides, or may be limited to a particulararea. When limited in area, the electrical connection between the maleand female sides may be dependent on their relative orientation to eachother. In such embodiments, a shaping of at least one of the sides mayaid in urging the sides into proper orientation. In an embodiment wherea particular orientation of electrical connections is required, such asmore complex embodiments with multiple electrodes, a shaping orstructure configured to allow proper orientation of the male side withthe female side can be used. For example, an oval cross sectional shapeof the male side may be used. Or, a shape having different shapedopposing sides. A cam structure may be used having tabs and ramps oneither part that can rotate the male and/or female sides into properorientation. For example, an egg shape may urge the male connector intoan orientation having its major axis parallel with a surface it isresting on.

Important for the automatic connection aspects of the two sidedelectrical connector of the present invention is a guiding structureformed in at least one of the male and female sides, and typically onboth sides. Generally, the guiding structure is a shaping or otherstructure that urges the two sides together when they are not perfectlyaligned. For example, ramps or other angled structures may be a guidingstructure, such that when the male side is not aligned with the femaleside, it will hit one of the ramps and be urged towards the female side(which would be at the end of the ramp). Similarly, a 360 degree slopingarea, shaped as, for example, if an inverted cone or pyramid may be theguiding structure. In such embodiments, the male side may have a ball,roller, weight, or the like at its end to facilitate its sliding alongthe guiding structure into the female end.

In a further embodiment, the male side may be shaped as a cone, pyramid,or other structure that has outer ends tapering inward towards eachother at a distal end of the male side. Similarly, in this embodimentthe female side may be an open shape to receive the male side. Thefemale side may be shaped as, for example, a funnel, an inverted cone,pyramid or other structure that has its outer ends tapering inwardtowards the female connector. In another embodiment, the female side mayhave one or more ramps guiding a male side connector towards the femaleside connector. The female side shape may have a larger secondaryguiding structure with, for example, a more gradual sloping shape thanthe male side's guiding structure. Weights on the male side may aid inproper and secure positioning. Other structures such as magnets,electromagnets, snaps, mechanical, and the like may facilitate a properconnection of the male and female side. In a particular embodiment, oncethe male side reaches a certain point at or near the female side, amechanical structure may be activated to contact the male side and guideit or drive it into proper orientation in the female side. For example,a lever may be triggered that may cause an arm to contact a top of themale side to drive it towards the female side.

The electrical connection between the two sides may be any type ofelectronic communication including, but not limited to, electricalcharging of a battery or similar energy storage structures, electronicdata transmission, input output communications, computerizedconnections, electronic data storage such as USB and the like. In aparticular embodiment, the present invention may be used for automatichigh-security data transfer that transfers data via a direct connectionand transporting the transmitted information physically. It should beunderstood that a single electrical connector of the present inventionmay perform more than one function with a single connector. For example,one connector could achieve both electrical charging of a vehicle aswell as electronic data transmission, through a mating of one or aplurality of electrical contacts of the male and female side.

The male side of the two part connector may extend from the vehicle orother structure in any manner. In one embodiment, the male side may beextendable and retractable via an electrical cable mounted to a spool orother extending/retracting structure. The spool, in one embodiment, maybe motorized. In one embodiment, the male side connector may extenddownward from a bottom of the vehicle. In another embodiment, the maleside connector may be mounted on an arm that can extend outwardly awayfrom a body of the vehicle, and then drop or otherwise release the maleside. In a non-gravity assisted embodiment, the male side connector mayextend from the vehicle by a solid or extendable arm upward, outward, orin any other direction. In these embodiments, when not in use the maleside connector may be retracted to a non-operational position which mayprotect and/or hide the male side connector.

Turning now to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the two part electricalconnector of the present invention is provided. In this view, the twoparts of the connector are shown being automatically mated together,providing an electrical connection between the two. The male side 13 isshaped as a cone, and has a cable 11 connected to it. The cable 11 isconnected to a vehicle or other base (not shown), and can provideelectric power and/or electrical communication between the male side ofthe connector and base. Male side 13 is mated with female side 12. Arolling ball 16 is positioned in the male side 13, which helps the maleside 13 fall into place to be secured in position. Female side 12 isshaped as an inverted cone or funnel and operates to guide and urge themale side 13 into proper position by virtue of its inward sloping sides.Generally, the female side 12 has a shape defining an inner space thatcorresponds to an exterior surface of at least a portion of the maleside 13. Typically, this corresponding shape allows at least a portionof the male side to be flushly received by the female side 12.Electrical contacts 14 are shown as a cross sectional view on an insideof the female side, the male side 13 electrical contacts and female sideelectrical contacts are shown in a mated position, touching each other.In this view, the electrical contacts 14 extend about the perimeter ofboth the male and female sides 13, 12, however it should be understoodthat any orientation of electrical contact may be used. The female side12 is connected to a base station (not shown.) Base station may provide,among other options, a charging and/or a computerized connection.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the two part electrical connector ofthe present invention. In this view, the two sides are shown apart. Themale side 13 is suspended by cable 11, cable 11 also providingelectrical communication to whatever structure (vehicle or the like) itis connected to. Electrical contacts 14 extend around an outer surfaceof the male side 13. Female side 12 can be seen as an open, invertedcone or funnel shape. Electrical contacts 15 are shown in broken lines,indicating their position on an inner face of the female side 12. Asecondary guiding structure 21 is provided adjacent to the female side12 as part of a base station. The secondary guiding structure 21operates in addition to the shape of the female side 12 (which operatesas its own guiding structure) to guide the male side 13 into properposition if not exactly aligned. This may be particularly advantageousin a vehicle implementation of the invention. When parking a car orother vehicle, it is often difficult to position the vehicle exactly ina correct spot. Thus, the secondary guiding structure 21 allows thevehicle to be parked in a range of locations and will still urge themale side 13, when descending from the vehicle, into the proper positionmating with the female side 12. It should be understood that secondaryguiding structure 21, while shown as two dimensional in the figure, maybe three dimensional and may urge male side 13 into the female side 12from all directions.

FIG. 3 provides a view of yet another embodiment of the presentinvention. In this view, a ramp 36 is used as the guiding structure tourge the male side 33 into the female side 34. A vehicle or otherstructure 35 is shown having an arm 30 extending from it. At the end ofthe arm 30 is spool 31. Spool 31 may be motorized and is configured toextend and retract male side 33 via cable 11. Cable 11 is in electroniccommunication with the structure 35. In this view, male side 33 is shownas a cylinder, as is female side 34—female side 34 being shaped as atube with an opening through its middle. Male side 33 is sized to havean outer diameter approximately equal to or less than the inner diameterof female side 34. As such, the male side 33 can fit into the opening offemale side 34. When properly positioned, male side electrical contacts14 will align with female side electrical contacts 15, providing anelectrical connection. Wiring 36 connects female side 34 and electricalcontacts with a base station (and electrical connection, electroniccommunication, or the like). The ramp 36 operates as a guiding structurein this embodiment. A rolling ball 32 is attached at an end of the maleside 33. The rolling ball aids in proper positioning of the male side 33by being able to roll down ramp 36. While only one ramp 36 is shown, itshould be understood that more than one may be provided to guide themale side 33. Rolling ball 32 is sized to be small enough to fit throughthe interior opening of the female side so that it can pass through anddraw the male side 33 into proper placement.

FIG. 4 provides an embodiment of the guiding structure. In this view,the guiding structure 36 is a ramp. The ramp has raised portions 41 tofurther guide the male side (not shown) into place. In this view, theraised portions 41 funnel the male side into the center of the ramp 36.

FIG. 5 provides a view of another embodiment of the inventionimplemented as a car charging station. In this view, a vehicle 50 isparked over the car charging station. The male side 33 is configured todescend from a bottom of the vehicle 50 into the female side 34 toprovide charging and other electronic communication to and from thevehicle 50. An opening 52 is formed in the ground/floor 51 where thevehicle 50 is parked. Secondary guiding structure 21 slopes downwardlytowards opening 52 and female side 34. The secondary guiding structure21 allows the vehicle 50 to be parked in a variety of positions whilestill being able to achieve connection between male side 33 and femaleside 34. Rolling ball 32 can roll along the secondary guiding structures21 and may pass through an opening of the female side 34. When properlypositioned, electrical contacts 14 of the male side 33 will becontacting the electrical contacts 15 of the female side 34, therebyachieve electrical connection between the vehicle 50 and the electricalcontacts 15 which may be connected to a charging source, computerstorage, computer, and the like.

While several variations of the present invention have been illustratedby way of example in preferred or particular embodiments, it is apparentthat further embodiments could be developed within the spirit and scopeof the present invention, or the inventive concept thereof. However, itis to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptationsare within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and areinclusive, but not limited to the following appended claims as setforth.

What is claimed is:
 1. An automatic gravity connector assemblycomprising: an automatic two part electrical connector providingelectrical connection between an electronic device and a base station,the electrical connector comprising a male side and a female side, oneof the male side and the female side connected to the device by anelectric cable, the male side having a guiding structure configured toguide it into electronic connection with the female side automaticallyby gravity; an electrical contact on an outer surface of the male sidebeing in contact with an electrical contact on an inner surface of thefemale side, thereby providing electrical communication between thedevice and the base station; and the other of the male side and thefemale side connected to the base station and configured to receive atleast a portion of the one of the male side and female side by theguiding structure of the male side and a corresponding shape of thefemale side, an electrical connection of the base station being providedto the female side.
 2. The automatic gravity connector assembly of claim1 wherein the guiding structure of the male side is a conical shapedbody, the electrical contact of the male side being on an exterior ofthe body, and wherein the female side is shaped as a funnel to receivethe cone shaped body, the electrical contact of the female side being onan inner face of the funnel.
 3. The automatic gravity connector assemblyof claim 1 wherein the male side guiding structure is a rolling ballconfigured to roll along a surface towards the female side, the rollingball sized to pass through at least a portion of the female side.
 4. Theautomatic gravity connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the cable isextendable and retractable from a bottom of the device.
 5. The automaticgravity connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the cable is connected toan arm and extendable and retractable from this arm, the arm extendableand retractable from a side of the device.
 6. The automatic gravityconnector assembly of claim 1 wherein the cable and male side areretractable and extendable from the device.
 7. The automatic gravityconnector assembly of claim 1 further comprising a magnet on at leastone of the male side and the female side, the magnet holding the maleside to the female side.
 8. The automatic gravity connector assembly ofclaim 1 wherein the electrical connection between the device and basestation is a charging connection, the base station providing a chargingto a battery of the device.
 9. The automatic gravity connector assemblyof claim 1 wherein the electrical connection between the device and basestation is a data communication connection.
 10. The automatic gravityconnector assembly of claim 1 wherein the electrical contact protrudesfrom the outer surface of the male side.
 11. The automatic gravityconnector assembly of claim 1 further comprising a secondary guidingstructure positioned about the female side, the secondary guidingstructure sloping inward towards the female connector and configured toguide the male side into the female side by gravity causing the maleside guidance to slide along the inward sloping and gravity.
 12. Theautomatic gravity connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the device is amobile computing device.
 13. The automatic gravity connector assembly ofclaim 1 wherein the device is a vehicle.
 14. The automatic gravityconnector assembly of claim 1 wherein the male side has a cylindricalshaped body, the electrical contact of the male side being on anexterior of the body, and wherein the female side has a cylindrical bodydefining a cylindrical opening sized to receive the male side body. 15.The automatic gravity connector assembly of claim 3 wherein the surfaceis a ramp configured to guide the rolling ball towards the female side.16. An automatic gravity connector assembly comprising: an automatic twopart electrical connector providing electrical connection between avehicle and a base station, the electrical connector comprising a maleside and a female side, one of the male side and the female sideconnected to the vehicle by an electric cable, the male side having aguiding structure configured to guide it into electronic connection withthe female side automatically by gravity; an electrical contact on anouter surface of the male side being in contact with an electricalcontact on an inner surface of the female side, thereby providingelectrical communication between the device and the base station; andthe other of the male side and the female side connected to the basestation and configured to receive at least a portion of the one of themale side and female side.
 17. The automatic gravity connector assemblyof claim 16 wherein the guiding structure of the male side is a conicalshaped body, the electrical contact of the male side being on anexterior of the body, and wherein the female side is shaped as a funnelto receive the cone shaped body, the electrical contact of the femaleside being on an inner face of the funnel.
 18. The automatic gravityconnector assembly of claim 16 wherein the male side has a cylindricalshaped body, the electrical contact of the male side being on anexterior of the body, and wherein the female side has a cylindrical bodydefining a cylindrical opening sized to receive the male side body.